Do you have a burst water pipe? No hot water? Toilet backing up? No matter the time of day, these are all cases where you would need to call out an emergency plumber.
Incidents like these can happen at any time – especially in older properties – and there are many reasons for them.
Burst Water Pipe
If you’ve spotted water dripping from the ceiling, the faster you act, the less damage will be caused.
Leaky pipes can be caused by their age, severe weather conditions or extensive wear and tear to the pipework. If you have a water tank in the attic, these can be prone to issues and can also cause leaks.
Burst water pipes might also be caused by structural damage, or by freezing in cold weather. When this happens, water can no longer pass through the pipe and it instead turns to ice and expands, causing the pipes to crack.
No Hot Water
If there is no hot water running, check your water heater is receiving power, or if you have a combi boiler, that it is working.
Loss of hot water can be caused by water leaks, low pressure, or a damaged heating element. If the lack of hot water is accompanied by a smell of gas, it can be a severe problem, so ring an expert immediately.
This problem is more common in winter months, as freezing temperatures put more pressure on pipes, often resulting in frozen pipes and no hot water. However, this issue can occur all year round to it’s best to keep your boiler and heating system in good shape.
Blocked or Clogged Toilet
If the toilet, or toilets, in your home are clogged, and you’ve tried to plunge it with no success, you have a plumbing emergency on your hands.
Ignoring this hazard could cause raw sewage to back up through drains in your home, which mains your family could become ill, and you may be unable to use your bathroom facilities.
Gas Leaks
If you can smell gas, never leave it until the next day to be resolved. Gas leaks can cause physical issues such as breathing problems, dizziness, headaches, nosebleeds and more. However, continued exposure to gas can result in death.
As such, this is one of the most dangerous issues you can encounter at home, requiring the service of an emergency heating engineer.
If you suspect a gas leak – whether there’s a strong smell or a hissing sound – turn off all gas-powered appliances in your home, and contact a gas safe registered heating engineer. It may also be wise to vacate your home until the leak is resolved.
Which Plumbing Problems Can Wait?
Running toilets, dripping taps, or appliance installation can all wait, as they’re not emergencies.
In some cases, classing something that isn’t an emergency as an urgent issue can lead to additional costs and having to wait for parts, so before you call a plumber or heating engineer to resolve an issue, consider if it is something that would wait until normal working hours the following day.
What Should You Do in a Plumbing Emergency?
Firstly, contact an emergency plumber for assistance.
Then, while you’re waiting for them to attend your home, it’s a good idea to locate your circuit breaker box and turn off the electricity supply, without touching any appliances in the room where the emergency is occurring.
Finally, you should turn off the property’s water supply by locating the internal stop tap and wait for the plumber to arrive.